Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Reliable Source weekly online discussion. I may be emeritus when it comes to the actual heavy-lifting of the column, but I'm clinging to this weekly conversation like a security blanket. Some topics on our (their!) radar this week:

The recent article on Rob Lowe got me to thinking about Matt Dillon. I always liked him - nice to look at, and with none of the stupid drama, like what Cruise seems to attract.

A: Roxanne Roberts

Well, I like to think it's because Matt is a grown-up and has somehow balanced his fame and fortune with the desire to have a happy marriage, happy kids, etc. So he doesn't indulge in much of the self-destructive and bratty behavior that lends itself to tabloid fodder.

For those who didn't know who they were in last week's discussion, Minka Kelly starred in the last incarnation of Charlie's Angels and in Friday Night Lights. She also dated Derek Jeter for a while. She also starred in the first two episodes of Full Circle, which ends tonight.
Chris Evans was engaged to Katie Holmes before Tom Cruise. He is Captain America in his own movie (called, I believe, the Winter Soldier) and also in the Avengers movies.
Hope that helps.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Sigh. You just robbed them of all their mystery. But I guess we do believe in transparency and clarity around here, so thanks for the Cliff's Notes.

As an Anglophile, I have a new love--Tom Hiddleston. I saw him in The Hollow Crown as Prince Hal, who became Henry V, and he was amazing. He's done some Thor promos and is very funny, too.

A: Roxanne Roberts

One way to feel old? I haven't a clue who this is, although I'm sure he's cute as a button. Or do you think there's just so much out there that it is impossible to keep track of all these shows/movies and actors?

He's Loki in the two Thor movies and also in the first Avengers movie. His face is in all the posters and he's in all the trailers. He was also in War Horse (with Bandersnatch) and lots of other movies. He's better looking as Hal than as Loki, however. And I would NOT call him "cute as a button!" Really!!!!!

A: Roxanne Roberts

And yet -- you're obsessed. And I did see War Horse, although I still can't picture him.

So, they are essentially nobodies mainly famous for dating somebodies.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Actually, I need to correct the previous chatter. Chris Evans was not engaged to Katie Holmes. That was Chris Klein. (Chris Evans, though, also dated Jessica Biel, now known as Mrs. Justin Timberlake.) . . . Hard to say he's a "nobody" -- he was a star of "The Avengers," the third highest-grossing movie of all time, and in "Captain America," the 12th highest grossing movie of 2011. But increasingly, the stars of the biggest movies are a little generic that way, huh?

Yes, corrected above. Sorry, didn't read carefully before posting the original question. But what does it say that so many people can't tell the difference between Chris Klein and Chris Evans? We are clearly dealing with a crisis of generic actors.

You know, just because Maria Shriver comes from the Kennedy clan, it's actually possible that she herself is not a Democrat, which would explain why she seems to date and marry Republicans. In fact, I don't believe that she has ever been involved in politics except for her former role as First Lady of California.

A: Roxanne Roberts

She's been active in women's issues, so I'd say she appears to be a social liberal -- and you can find that in both Democrats and Republicans. Both Arnold and Matthew seems to be moderate GOP.

Thank you for the Minka Kelly explanation. Reading her resume, I now understand why I don't know who she is, and am very much okay with not having taken up any precious brain space with her. (Sorry, Minka. I'm sure you're a lovely person.)

A: Amy Argetsinger

She is actually very pretty. Also, she's the daughter of an Aerosmith guitarist and an exotic dancer, so really, she wins on bio points. Plus, she plays Jackie Kennedy in "The Butler." Chris Evans, meanwhile, is the nephew of Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.), so that's something too.

Scarlett Johansson was in it, and Mark Ruffalo, and Samuel L. Jackson, and Cobie Smulders (from How I Met Your Mother), and Chris Hemsworth, and Tom Hiddleston, and Jeremy Renner. I don't find any of them generic.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Maybe it was the movie's fault, then. It was like two hours of my life that didn't happen.

Once upon a time (pre-1980s), being drunk while driving often evoked sympathy from juries and judges. Even now it seems to mitigate rape (on both the rapist's and the victim's parts). If someone does something in a drunken stupor, they're just as responsible for their actions as if they were sober, because it's their legal responsibility not to get into a drunken stupor in the first place.

A: Roxanne Roberts

True? Because I seem to recall that contracts signed while drunk (if proven) can't be upheld because the parties are not capable of entering into binding agreements.

I was the person who wrote in about Maria not seeming very politically engaged. The second I hit "submit question/comment" I remembered that she had, in fact, endorsed Obama for his first term while her then-husband endorsed McCain. My bad.

Really? For me that'd be one of the top deal-breakers, if I were single and dating. (Thanks goodness I married someone with the same political views).

A: Amy Argetsinger

It's a deal-breaker for a lot of people. That's why I find it kind of refreshing when a couple gets past those differences. And hey, remember, Maria Shriver was married to a Republican for a quarter-century.

It's also possible she's secretly a Republican. She's loyal enough to her family to publicly be a "Democrat" but who knows where her allegiance lies. It is not like she really has a party-affiliation choice being a Kennedy.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Or maybe party affiliation is a non-issue for her in a romantic partner.

I was home sick yesterday and watching Live with Kelly and Michael (which, by the way, I love Michael Strahan on that show), and the Thor Hemsworth was on and I was shocked to learn there are three. there's the Thor one, the Miley/Hunger Games one, and some other one? (I fear this is approaching the Liam Neeson Taken categories: Taken, Taken 2, Taken with Wolves, Taken with Amnesia)

I'm old enough to remember when the dating (and marriage) deal breakers were race, ethnicity, and religion, not political party membership. I'm not sure that today's deal breakers are any better than the old ones. My parents rarely vote the same way, and it never seems to result in anything more than a joke that they cancel out each other's votes so maybe they should just stay home and watch a movie. Ease up, people, it's just politics, and there are good and ethical people on both sides.

I'm the one with the good dinner conversations, and while we disagree on some issues, and cancel out each other's votes, we also are willing to discuss and respect each other's views so long as they are reasoned. Luckily, neither of us are knee-jerk liberals or conservatives, and are both more moderate, so it works. I have dated men who are on the opposite end of the spectrum who had neither reasoning for their views nor respect for mine, and that didn't work. I will just say, the perceived "deal breakers" get less important when you are dating in your mid-thirties, and finding someone who respects you, and who you respect, means a lot more than punching a "we think exactly alike" box on the ticket. Just my two cents.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Thanks for your thoughts on this. I know the partisan discussions have gotten more pitched in recent years, with the emphasis on social issues; but that's not how many people define their ideology, so it seems silly to judge someone simply because they disagree with you about tax policy.

Yes, she was married to a Republican for a quarter century.....who had an affair with the housekeeper and fathered a child. I know, I know, nothing to do with his party affiliation, but maybe she should try another flavor?

A: Roxanne Roberts

I'd say she should date a guy who doesn't cheat, which doesn't seem to be party-related. (Political party, that is.)

Did you know Terry McAuliffe will be Virginia's fourth governor in a row born above the Mason Dixon Line? I learned that from MSNBC.

A: Amy Argetsinger

I heard that too. What MSNBC kept forgetting to note is that Ken Cuccinelli, had he won, would also have been the fourth governor in a row born above the Mason-Dixon line -- specifically, in New Jersey.

I LOL'd at the comment that Maria should "try another flavor" because the Republican she was married to cheated on her. So, let's see, are Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Anthony Weiner or Eliot Spitzer available these days ? C'mon people, a man's political affiliation has NOTHING to do with whether he will cheat on his wife.

She certainly seems out and about a lot but I never see dates. 2nd question: if she is an anchor on a morning news show should she be showing up as a friend at a swearing in for a Senator? Can you check your Journalist Rule Book and let me know?

A: Amy Argetsinger

Actually, she was ambiguously "dating" Cory Booker at some point, whatever that was about.

My favorite Baldwin is not one of the brothers, although most people probably think he was. Adam Baldwin, who first was noticed in My Bodyguard (with Matt Dillon, not Damon!) He also starred in Firefly and in Independence Day and many other things.

A: Amy Argetsinger

He was also great in "D.C. Cab." And no, he is not one of THE Baldwins.

I used to know someone who taught her at a private school. Do you think private school teachers have to sign non-disclosure agreements? I bet they are a festering cauldron of excellent gossip. My former acquaintance sure was and she was very careful about what she said.

A: Roxanne Roberts

Sounds about right, especially when the students are rich, spoiled teenagers.

I'd like to think that they have made their marriage work by knowing how to draw strict lines between work and play, a lesson many intense Washingtonians would benefit from, even if they're not professional pundits.

If we're going to talk about politicians cheating on their wives, I have to think that JFK "wins" the prize. Can you imagine anybody today being so blatant about it? I'm actually embarrassed to read about some his "exploits" with young girls, especially those involving his brother(s).

A: Roxanne Roberts

True enough. Anyone who makes the claim that infidelity is linked to either party is just dreaming.

Excellent typo. By the way, how long is this freaking wedding going to last? I swear that the number of episodes dedicated to it probably adds up to a long wedding weekend. I love you HIMYM, but it's good that you're bowing out this season.

A: Roxanne Roberts

The whole damn season. This better not end like "Seinfeld." Just sayin'.

I know this isn't a sports chat, but Tracee is not chatting tomorrow and Tom Boswell is not chatting until Monday, so I have to vent. Jordan Zimmermann, who won 19 games (most in the NL) is NOT one of the Cy Young nominees. Two of them I'm fine with--Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright--but the third one is a rookie from the Miami Marlins! He has a lot of years to be up for it. If not JZimm, I'd have been okay with Craig Kimbrel, but not Fernandez. At least not this year.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Sorry. I guess it's like the Oscars or Miss America -- it's never really about merit, it's always political.

Wasn't Gingrich's infidelity worse because he was leading the impeachment of Clinton for his (i.e. Clinton's) infidelity?

A: Amy Argetsinger

Sure, in terms of the career-wrecking potential. But that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about dating or being married to a politician/political operative. I think if you're personally involved with a politico who turns out to be a cheater, then it's no consolation to think, "Well, at least he's not a hypocrite."

Hmmm, I dunno. Most likely such a politician demagoguing on "family values" who trots his wife (and kids, if any) out to support that view is doubly hypocritical and hurtful to his wife by humiliating her so publicly by having used her as a prop to sell a lie.

A: Amy Argetsinger

Yes, but they all trot the wives out for those humiliating confession press conferences, whether they're family values guys or not.